Break or Bury
by Ababy99
Summary: Nathan and Haley. One Year into the future. One Shot.


Break or Bury

One Shot

Nathan sat down at a famous New York restaurant and fiddled with his hands as the waiter poured him more champagne. He didn't really want champagne especially on an occasion like this, but since he was so recognized from playing with the L.A. Lakers everywhere he went he got grade A treatment.

He picked up the divorce papers and sighed. It had been a year or so since Haley had run away with Chris Keller to New York to pursue her dream in music. Nathan never gave up on her though; he still remained a faithful husband because he thought Haley had just needed time or that she had gotten scared and went off to find her parents. It wasn't until a year into their marriage that Lucas told him the dreadful news that Haley had gone off to New York with the only person Nathan despised. Chris.

Nathan blamed himself even though he wanted to blame Chris. His life was full of "what ifs": What if she ran away with Chris because that was the one person he despised? What if he was too free with her? What if she didn't love him? What if he didn't love her enough?

Nathan never got over Haley; the only thing that kept his mind off her was basketball. The sport which he loved to play and that he was pretty damn good at. The only plus thing about Haley leaving Nathan was that he went to that High Flyers camp and was noticed by a couple of coaches and scouts. The next thing he new he was saying goodbye to his friends and hitched a plane to Los Angeles, California.

He dated around, but could never get that serious with a girl. The truth of the matter was that he was afraid of getting hurt again. Nathan did date the coaches niece for awhile, but they both decided that they should just be friends after her ex boyfriend flew in from Maine and asked her to marry him. Nathan was crushed because it had been the second time his heart was broken, but in a way he was glad that he wasn't tied down to one person anymore.

Nathan looked at his watch and drummed his fingers on the table. He looked up at the TV over towards the bar and saw Haley and Chris performing on a taping of Saturday Night Live. It was taped a month ago or so and to Nathan she looked different. Haley had lost all of her innocence; which was a shame because that's what Nathan found most attractive in her. Her hair was darker, her skin was tanner, her make up was trashier, and her attitude had done a 180.

Nathan looked at the articles he had kept in his wallet for months. One saying: Haley and Chris make it big on TRL!" And the other: "Haley collapses and is hospitalized after a wild night of partying."

Nathan shook his head and put the articles back in his wallet, he knew that you couldn't believe everything you heard, but he had an easy time believing that Haley had indeed changed.

Haley took a sip of her water and strummed on her guitar. She stuck her tongue out at Chris who was in the studio and began to sing. Haley strummed her guitar harder as the song got more and more intense. The song ended and Haley screamed out in pride. Chris laughed and motioned for Haley to come back into the studio with him to listen.

Haley took off her head phones and walked to Chris, "Do you want to listen to it?" Chris asked her.

"I already know it's going to be fucking awesome!" Haley said in a cocky tone.

Chris rolled his eyes, "Since when did you become Madonna?"

"Since my kick ass song landed number one on the Billboard Music Charts and since I won that VMA this year," Haley said and then took a swig of Chris's beer.

"You couldn't have done any of this without me," Chris said as he put his arm around Haley.

Haley smiled and kissed Chris forcefully, "And I couldn't thank you enough, baby…" She said and Chris grabbed her ass playfully. Haley squealed and got on the table; she looked up at the clock and stopped the make out session, "I'm sorry I have to go…"

"Where?" Chris asked impatiently.

Haley sighed, "I'm still a married woman Chris," he rolled his eyes, "But after this little get together with Nathan I'll be free!"

"You were always free H," Chris said, "You just never knew it…"

Haley smiled and walked out of the studio. She knew that she was supposed to be happy about this day, but she couldn't help feeling guilty and sad. Yes, she had screwed over Nathan, but somewhere in her heart she still cared for him. Haley knew that when she got on that bus to New York that things were going to change for her.

It had been a year when she got the call from Nathan's lawyer saying that he wanted a divorce. She was crushed; she expected that he was going to give up on working things out. The thing that hurt Haley the most was that she lost Lucas as well. Lucas told her to come home so many times before but she didn't listen.

She had seen Nathan on TV and even saw him at the VMA's, but Chris's people made sure that they were as far away as possible. He was the same as he always was, maybe a little buffer, maybe a little taller but still the same old Nathan. While she threw back shots in the VIP room she noticed that he only drank water.

It seemed as though the two of them had somehow switched places. She had become the wild one and he was the calm and laid back guy. She missed him, she really did, but Chris let her do her music and for once in Haley's life she had been selfish.

Haley walked into the restaurant and saw Nathan sitting there looking at the divorce papers in front of him. She took a deep breath and walked over to the table. Nathan looked up just as Haley was coming towards him. She sat down and took a sip of her already poured glass of champagne, "My favorite," Haley said, "You remembered…"

"No," Nathan said coldly, "They just brought it out…I didn't even know you liked champagne."

Haley set down the glass and scoffed, "Being an ass to me isn't going to solve anything…I came here to get these papers signed and to get on with my life!"

"Your life with Chris," Nathan shot back, "He has so much to offer you Hales!" Nathan said sarcastically; not realizing he had used her old nickname.

Haley laughed cynically, "We're successful…"

"Good for you," Nathan said without any expression in his voice, "So, why did you leave?" He asked out of the blue.

Haley rolled her eyes and muttered 'unbelievable' she looked up at the ceiling, "I left because it was time for me to do something for myself…"

"That's shit," Nathan said getting out a pen, "You left because you were some stupid bored little girl who thought that she could do whatever the hell she wanted!" He replied angrily.

Haley glared at him, "How dare you even say those things to me!"

"We're over Haley," Nathan said handing her the pen, "Just your signature will make this final…"

Haley grabbed the pen and bit her bottom lip, "You know Nate," she began, "I never, ever stopped loving you, and I will always care about you…"

"That's real rock and roll of you H," Nathan said mocking Chris, "Now…Cut the shit and sign the papers…"

Haley set the pen down and looked at Nathan dead in the eye, "I'm not fucking ending our marriage this way…Now I'm sorry Nathan I never meant to hurt you."

Nathan sighed, "Please," he said softly, "Just sign the papers…"

Haley took the pen and scribbled her signature on the dotted line. She slammed the pen down and handed over the papers, "I'm going to Tree Hill over the weekend," she said not making eye contact with her now ex husband, "I'll tell them you said hi."

"Don't tell them anything," Nathan said and got up from the table and left the restaurant.

Haley followed him out and punched his arm, "This isn't fair you know!"

"Do you think it was fair for me when you left?" Nathan yelled.

Haley sighed, "I had to go Nathan…"

"Well I do too," Nathan shot back, "It's done Hales…It's been done since the first time you saw Chris!"

Haley put her hands in her pocket, "So this is it?"

"Yeah," Nathan said and walked down the street.

Haley watched him walk away; and turned and walked the opposite way.

The End.


End file.
